Entreprenista Honors 100 Trail-blazing Women Entrepreneurs in Annual Awards

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The Entreprenista League has announced its 2024 Entreprenista 100 Awards, recognizing 100 outstanding women entrepreneurs across various sectors. The awards, which expanded to include Canadian businesses for the first time, evaluated nominees based on metrics including revenue growth, funding milestones, and market impact. Notable honorees include Akshie Shah of Grown Brilliance, Tisha Thompson of LYS Beauty (which secured 8-figure funding), and Larissa May of #HalfTheStory. Five special distinction awards will be announced at the Virtual Awards Ceremony on May 15th, 2025. The event is supported by major sponsors including Verizon (VZ), Justworks, and Gimme Beauty, highlighting the growing influence of women-led businesses across industries.

The Entreprenista 100 Awards Celebrates the Stories, Achievements, and Impact of Women-Led Businesses

NEW YORK, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Entreprenista League, a premier membership community for ambitious women entrepreneurs, proudly reveals the honorees of its 2024 Entreprenista 100 Awards — a prestigious recognition spotlighting 100 visionary women leading businesses across sectors including technology, retail, non-profit, beauty, legal, advertising, food & beverage, and more.

This year's Entreprenista 100 Awards received widespread interest from impressive leaders of women-owned businesses across the U.S. and, for the first time, Canada. Winners were determined by the Entreprenista leadership team and a selection committee of successful founders and business experts from the Entreprenista League community. Nominees were assessed on key performance metrics including revenue growth, funding milestones, operational scale, brand impact, innovation, and market visibility, as well as each founder's entrepreneurial journey and unique business story.

The 2024 Entreprenista 100 honorees exemplify innovation, resilience, and leadership — and reflect the diverse and powerful impact women entrepreneurs are making across the business landscape today.

The 2024 Entreprenista 100 includes an array of outstanding businesswomen who are moving the needle in their local communities and within their industries. A few stand-out stories include:

• Akshie Shah, founder of Grown Brilliance — a 75% women-led lab-grown diamond jeweler that is committed to reducing environmental harm and making modern luxury more ethical, sustainable, and accessible.
• Tisha Thompson, founder LYS Beauty — as the first Black-owned clean makeup brand at Sephora, LYS Beauty recently secured an 8-figure investment to accelerate its mission of championing inclusivity, sustainability, and self-expression.
• Larissa May, founder of #HalfTheStory — empowering teens to redefine their relationship with tech through evidence-based programs, advocacy, and events that build emotional resilience, healthy digital habits, and real-world connections.

Read the stories of the full list of The Entreprenista 100 Award winners here.

Five extraordinary women included on the list of 100 founders for 2024 will be given the additional distinction in the following five award categories:

1. Entreprenista of the Year 
2. Innovator of the Year
3. Changemaker of the Year
4. Community Builder of the Year
5. Uplifter of the Year

The 100 honorees were selected with help from a panel of business luminaries, including Candace Nelson (Sprinkles), Allison Ellsworth (Poppi), Sarah Lee (Glow Recipe), Kendra Bracken-Ferguson (Braintrust), and Carrie Kerpen (The Whisper Group). See a full list of Entreprenista's 2024 judging panel here.

The five top award winners will be announced live at the Entreprenista 100 Virtual Awards Ceremony, May 15th at 1PM EST, where all recipients will also be recognized. Speakers include this year's judges, past winners, and the Entreprenista leadership team, including last year's Entreprenista of the Year, Alexis Irene (Static Nails), and Kim Perell, serial entrepreneur and startup mentor.

Founded with a mission to champion and empower women founders, the Entreprenista League fosters community, connection, and access to capital and resources for business owners. Through its vibrant digital and in-person network, acclaimed podcast platform, and signature events, the Entreprenista League continues to connect, support, and elevate visionary women entrepreneurs around the world.

The Entreprenista 100 Awards are supported by sponsors such as Justworks, Gimme Beauty, and Verizon, who shared their excitement for this year's winners.

"Congratulations to this year's Entreprenista 100 winners — a remarkable group of visionary founders and trailblazers shaping the future of entrepreneurship," said David Coleman, head of brand partnerships, global events, and field marketing at Justworks. "As a trusted partner to over 12,000 small businesses nationwide, our platform empowers entrepreneurs to grow with confidence with access to payroll, benefits, global HR, compliance support, and award-winning 24/7 customer service. Justworks is honored to support and celebrate these leaders who are driving innovation and growth."

Supporting sponsor Gimme Beauty, founded by Jeff Durham, echoed this statement. "At Gimme Beauty, our mission to unlock potential in 100,000 women over five years is deeply personal. These Entreprenista 100 winners aren't just founders. They're building legacies, breaking barriers, and paving the way for others," Durham said. "We're honored to celebrate their courage, brilliance, and relentless pursuit of purpose. We're grateful to stand with them, offering support, resources, and community that believes in their ability to reach their full potential."

Other supporting brands and sponsors of the Entreprenista 100 Awards include Relay and Lettuce.

To read more about the Entreprenista 100 Award winners visit Entreprenista.com/100/2024 or follow along on social media via #entreprenista100.

About Entreprenista Media
Entreprenista Media is on a mission to empower women by sharing and celebrating their stories, fostering a community that nurtures meaningful connections, support, and access to resources. Comprising the Entreprenista League, a digital membership community, and a media platform, Entreprenista Media is home to the Entreprenista Podcast Network, hosting shows like the Entreprenista Podcast and Startups in Stilettos. The Entreprenista League empowers ambitious women entrepreneurs by boosting their online presence, facilitating connections with potential investors, mentors, clients, and customers, granting exclusive digital resources and member benefits, and granting access to virtual and in-person events designed to foster meaningful business relationships.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024. Verizon's world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.

About Justworks
Justworks is a technology company that levels the playing field for all small businesses. Through its software and as a partner, Justworks helps its customers take care of their teams, streamline their operations and navigate the complex aspects of managing a workforce with confidence. To achieve this, Justworks is uncompromising in its focus on building products for small businesses and understanding their unique needs. Justworks' flexible platform empowers small businesses to assemble powerful self-service capabilities to meet their payroll, tax, HR and compliance needs. Plus, Justworks offers 24/7 human support, on-demand expertise and access to high-quality benefits designed for the modern workforce. To learn more, visit Justworks.com, and follow along on Twitter @Justworks, LinkedIn @Justworks- and Instagram @Justworks.

About Gimme Beauty
Gimme Beauty is a family-owned hair care brand founded in 2009 with a mission to create a range of products that work for all hair types. The company focuses on empowering women by providing innovative hair accessories and products that celebrate individual beauty.

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FAQ

What is the Entreprenista 100 Awards and when is the 2024 ceremony?

The Entreprenista 100 Awards is an annual recognition program honoring 100 women entrepreneurs across various sectors. The 2024 virtual awards ceremony will be held on May 15th, 2025, at 1PM EST.

Who are some notable winners of the 2024 Entreprenista 100 Awards?

Notable winners include Akshie Shah (Grown Brilliance), Tisha Thompson (LYS Beauty), and Larissa May (#HalfTheStory). Five additional special distinction awards will be announced during the ceremony.

What companies are sponsoring the 2024 Entreprenista 100 Awards?

The awards are sponsored by Verizon (VZ), Justworks, Gimme Beauty, Relay, and Lettuce.

How were the Entreprenista 100 Award winners selected?

Winners were selected by the Entreprenista leadership team and a committee of successful founders, including judges like Candace Nelson (Sprinkles) and Allison Ellsworth (Poppi), based on metrics such as revenue growth, funding milestones, operational scale, and brand impact.